Nicole Shanahan Emerges as a Top Candidate to Be R.F.K. Jr.’s Running Mate

The campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. indicated over the weekend that Nicole Shanahan — a Bay Area lawyer and investor who was once married to the Google co-founder Sergey Brin — was among the top picks to be Mr. Kennedy’s running mate on his independent presidential ticket.

The emergence of Ms. Shanahan as a possible running mate comes amid a flurry of interest in his vice-presidential shortlist, which The New York Times reported last week included the N.F.L. star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Gov. Jesse Ventura of Minnesota. Since then, other potential candidates have emerged, including Tricia Lindsay, a lawyer who has fought vaccine mandates. Mr. Kennedy said last week that he had spoken with Ms. Lindsay, but he did not mention Ms. Shanahan.

Ms. Shanahan, 38, was a creative force and primary financial backer behind a $5 million Super Bowl ad bought and created by a super PAC backing Mr. Kennedy, The Times reported last month. The ad, which repurposed a 1960 presidential campaign ad for Mr. Kennedy’s uncle John F. Kennedy, was praised in some quarters but also drew criticism from Mr. Kennedy’s family members, many of whom have publicly disavowed his campaign.

The media website Mediaite reported on Saturday that Mr. Kennedy planned to name Ms. Shanahan as his vice-presidential pick. A person familiar with the campaign said that her name had begun circulating recently amid concerns among people close to the campaign about Mr. Rodgers, but that it was not clear if anything had been decided.

Neither Ms. Shanahan nor Mr. Kennedy responded to requests for comment.

Stefanie Spear, a spokeswoman for the Kennedy campaign, said, “There has been a lot of speculation in the media,” and added that the official announcement would